While Hermès officially denies that bold-faced names get special treatment in procuring one (“We consider all of our clients to be celebrities in their own right,” says Chavez), the Birkin bag somehow, over the decades, finds its way onto the arms of the most current set of tastemakers. Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Kim Kardashian all sport one. And Victoria Beckham is said to have a collection of Birkins worth more than $2 million. At LVMH the paid celebrity endorsement is an art, from Michelle Williams representing Louis Vuitton bags to Charlize Theron as the face of Dior perfume; at Hermès the perception (and reality) that the A-list is truly its customer proves to be a less expensive, more authentic endorsement.